The Open: Weather stops Monday play early after Rory McIlroy addresses 2019 Portrush nightmare
We'll bring you updates here across the week
Gareth Hanna and Adam McKendry
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry have both faced the media for their preview press conferences ahead of The Open at Royal Portrush.
McIlroy spoke of his disastrous opening round 79 in 2019, while Lowry reacted to the mural in Portrush featuring an image of the Offaly man clutching the Claret Jug.
The Open at Royal Portrush: What happened in 2019?
Out on the course, a two-hour delay over lunch-time due to thunderstorms did little to dampen spirits as the likes of world number one Scottie Scheffler, English Tommy Fleetwood and Rory's fellow Holywood star Tom McKibbin were all seen among a host of others.
However, a second stoppage in play after 5pm then brought a premature end to the day's action, with fans hoping for better weather as players return for the third official practice day on Tuesday.
It all meant McIlroy's decision to turn up early and 'beat the crowds' looked even more inspired as the likes of Scheffler now are faced to shift their plans to make up for interrupted practice.
They'll be back on Tuesday to try again, with the tee sheet featuring the likes of Phil Mickelson (7.12am), Justin Thomas (7.36am), Scheffler (9am), Patrick Reed (10.24am), Tony Finau, (11.12am), Padraig Harrington (11.12am), Brooks Koepka (11.36am), Robert MacIntyre (11.48am), Collin Morikawa (12.48pm), Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm (both 1.24pm), Tommy Fleetwood (2.12pm) and Lee Westwood (2.24pm).
Follow along with all the week's action right here on our live blog:
Today 05:29 PM
Gareth Hanna
Will Rory and Shane play on Tuesday?
You may notice neither of the Irish players are down to be on the course tomorrow - but bear in mind that late last night, Rory wasn't there either. Come 7am this morning and he was out there! They tend to keep it quiet, as Rory openly admitted at his press conference. So keep an eye out, and we'll be back here bright and early in the morning to keep you posted with what's going on.
Today 05:24 PM
Notable practice tee times on Tuesday
7:12am: Phil Mickelson, Sadom Kaewkanjana
7:24am: Louis Oosthuizen, Dean Burmester, Aldrich Potgieter, Daniel van Tonder
7:36am: Bud Cauley, Justin Thomas, Harris English, Michael Kim
8:48am: Chris Kirk, JT Poston, Sepp Straka, Adrien Saddier
9:00am: Scottie Scheffler, Sampson Zheng, Ethan Fang (a), Richard Teder (a)
9:12am: Francesco Molinari, Xander Schauffele, Matt McCarty, Maverick McNealy
10:12am: Sungjae Im, Kevin Yu, Ben Griffin
10:24am*: Patrick Reed, Niklas Norgaard, Shaun Norris, Thomas Detry
11:12am: Tony Finau, Ryggs Johnston, JJ Spaun, OJ Farrell
11:12am*: Bryan Newman (a), Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Min Woo Lee, Padraig Harrington
11:36am: Harry Hall, Hideki Matsuyama
11:48am: Robert MacIntyre, Cameron Adam (a), Daniel Young, Connor Graham (a)
12:48pm: John Catlin, Collin Morikawa
1:24pm: Sergio Garcia, Jon Rahm, Angel Hidalgo
1:36pm: Rikuya Hoshino, Mikiya Akutsu, Carlos Ortiz, Joaquin Niemann
1:36pm*: Justin Leonard, Russell Henley
2:00pm: Matt Fitzpatrick, Thriston Lawrence
2:12pm: Tommy Fleetwood, Aaron Rai, Chris Gotterup
2:24pm: Lee Westwood, Frazer Jones (a), Matt Wallace
3:00pm: Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman, Ryan Peake
3:12pm*: Nathan Kimsey, Ludvig Aberg, Andrew Novak
* - denotes 10th tee start
All tee times and groupings subject to change
Today 05:14 PM
Adam McKendry
Rory takes centre stage
He's always at the forefront of every tournament he plays in but at Royal Portrush more than any other, Rory McIlroy is the box office ticket this week - and Steven Beacom looks at how he turned heads during his press conference this afternoon.
Rory McIlroy is golf's golden goose… the sport needs him and, thankfully, he has more stories to tell
Rory McIlroy doesn't just fill golf courses. He has the same impact with press conference rooms.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Today 05:00 PM
Gareth Hanna
Monday play finished
And that's your lot from Monday. We've just got confirmation that players will not be returning to the course this evening and the second stoppage for dangerous weather conditions - with storms in the area - has called a premature halt.
Today 04:26 PM
Adam McKendry
Fair weather golfer!
Welshman Jim Everett (77) says he started playing golf seriously in 1976... and then gave it up in 1976!
He now lives in Coleraine and hopes that Rory McIlroy doesn't get as frustrated with the sport as he did.
Today 04:16 PM
Adam McKendry
Play suspended again - will the players come back?
The hooter goes and the players are coming back in off the course for a second time as another weather warning hits. Apparently there's the threat of lightning in the area. We're trying to find out what's happening and if or when the players will be back on the course this evening.
Today 04:13 PM
Gareth Hanna
Who's your best selfie with?
If practice days are great for one thing, it's getting up close to the players. They're chilled out and keen to ineract with fans - as Lurgan golfer Robert Emerson has discovered. Here's his collection of selfies so far.
Today 04:05 PM
Adam McKendry
Major grouping
Two Major champions playing a practice round alongside each other this afternoon as 2021 Open champion Collin Morikawa is joined on the links by reigning US Open champion J.J. Spaun. The star power is out in force at Royal Portrush.
Today 03:59 PM
Adam McKendry
All you need to know
Never been to Royal Portrush before? Can't remember what the course is like? Looking for a golfer's insight into where to hit your shots? Top amateur Matt McClean gives us his insights into how to play the Dunluce Links!
Top NI amateur Matthew McClean walks us through punishing Royal Portrush challenge
As the world's best golfers descend on Royal Portrush to try and lift the Claret Jug, the fearsome Dunluce Links awaits them, offering one of the greatest tests on the 2025 schedule.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Today 03:58 PM
Gareth Hanna
A home Open if ever there was one!
The Owen family had to walk just nine minutes from their house in Portrush to get to today's practice rounds - dad Eddie is hoping to sneak through a hole in the hedge on Sunday when the tournament's winner is announced.*
*Do not try this at home - or in Portrush - or anywhere. We trust Eddie was joking!
Today 03:55 PM
Gareth Hanna
Serving the punters with special spirits
Caitlin and Amy from Loch Lomond Spirits have served hundreds of people - from as far as South America and the USA - the Scottish company's 'Open Special Edition Royal Portrush' whiskey, made especially just for this week.
Today 03:34 PM
Gareth Hanna
Shane Lowry on his Portrush mural, 2019 and McIlroy's disastrous tee-shot
Shane Lowry reacts to being 'immortalised' by Portrush mural on return to scene of Open win
He's a bit bashful when asked about it during his press conference at Royal Portrush.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Today 03:18 PM
Adam McKendry
Challenge accepted
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry are among the favourites, while Tom McKibbin, Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke will look to upset the odds, but who else are among the favourites for this week? We take a look at the biggest contenders at Royal Portrush...
The Open: 10 global stars best placed to challenge the local heroes at Royal Portrush
While most of the attention this week will be on the likes of Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and Tom McKibbin as they bid to become Major champions again — or, in the latter case, for the first time — there will be around 150 others trying to do the same.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Today 03:06 PM
Adam McKendry
Field change
We have had a withdrawal from the field for this week's tournament as England's Paul Waring has pulled out due to a shoulder injury and has been replaced by the USA's Davis Riley.
The 28-year-old is a two-time winner on the PGA Tour having won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with partner Nick Hardy in 2023 and then the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge, while he has already impressed in the Majors this year having finished in the top-20 at the PGA Championship after starting the final round in a share of third.
Today 02:56 PM
Out on the course? Head towards hole 5
So we're just getting our bearings after the rain delay dn the pressers and finding out which players are where. If you're out on the course, you could do worse than heading to the fifth. It's a great hole sloping down towards White Rocks beach, with Tommy Fleetwood heading up the fourth now, Rickie Fowler coming behind, following by Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia with Brooks Koepka a group further back.
Today 02:38 PM
Full house
Tom McKibbin has completed the Irish line-up of Irish players at Royal Portrush as he has been spotted on the putting green after arriving from LIV's event in Andalucia, meaning the quintet are all here.
McKibbin, Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke form the contingent hailing from north of the border, with Shane Lowry and Padraig Harrington the two from the south.
Today 02:26 PM
Adam McKendry
Do you keep everything the same as 2019, like are you staying in the same place as six years ago?
"Different house. I am a little superstitious but I won't do anything like that. I do go for a chat with my coach every evening so we'll always do that."
Today 02:25 PM
Gareth Hanna
Thoughts on the weather
"I'm getting old and soft so I like nice weather. Today is perfect, that's a good Open test out there. When it gets showery and heavy downpours, you can get unlucky. A nice stiff breeze and a little bit of rain is OK. If you go back to 2019, we got blessed with the weather here in 2019 and I shot 63 and won the tournament. When you get to an Open, you take what you get (weather wise) and make the best of it."
Today 02:24 PM
Can you contrast how the course is playing compared to 2019?
"It's a little firmer than it was, so we're going to have some rain over the next few days so I don't know what effect that will have. I'm not planning on approaching the course any differently. I forgot how well bunkered the course is and you're going to see a lot of players approaching it differently. I wouldn't sit here and tell you what the winning score will be but in today's conditions, under-par would be a good score. It's going to play a bit tougher (than 2019)."
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